Father-son help.

OK, IDO community: Can you recommend any good father-son adventure trips (within the lower 48) for a three-day weekend? When my oldest son turned 11, he got to go to Boston (we live in MN) to see his favorite football team play. Planes, trains and autos. Now it’s my youngest son’s turn. The trip can take place any time this summer… Ideas? He loves to fish so a part of the trip fishing would be a given plus. He is not a fly fisherman. Please don’t let this post train derail about football.lol

LOTW or go to rainy get a house boat and get a guide to take you out fishing. if you have your own boat just use a guide for a day or two and fish on your own the rest of the time.

Bam! Off to a great start! That has it all – possibly a hot tub for the old man. I wish I could figure in an airplane ride. Not a big deal to me but I imagine it is when your older brother got that part of the deal.

Stay at Sha Sha on Rainy and spend a day fishing with guide Chris Granrud. Day trip to Ranier for some history of the area.

I may do that trip with my own son!

Give us a guideline budget, please.

If you want to work in airplanes, get him a flight lesson. Unlike driving a car, there is no minimum age for a flight lesson with a certified flight instructor.

Second idea is get him a glider flight or two. All the fun of an airplane, plus he gets to fly it a lot more. I must say, for pure flying fun, I prefer the glider. I never thought about it before, but when that release is pulled and there you are, up there on only your wings, the most singular thing is the silence. If it’s not exactly like being a bird, it doesn’t miss it by much.

Another idea to work together the two is a Canadian fly in.

Grouse

Smithsonian Air and Science Museum in Wash DC, also visit the monuments and other aviation museums nearby. The Zoo is great. Maybe see a play (for kids). The subway system is great, takes you everywhere. They used to have a half price ticket booth downtown that we often used.

Grouse – maybe I was not clear but when I said planes. I meant that we flew to our destination. but dang! sounds like you have a lot of fun! And the DC comment is great too but that is on the possible school trip list so I would off for now.

I have heard of this Granrud….

A before dawn wake up, fast boat ride on big water to fishing grounds, reel screaming runs from big shouldered fish. Lake Michigan Salmon! If you choose the Door Peninsula you can fish Green Bay the next day and get up close and personal with trophy Smallmouth or Walleyes.

Do a fly in trip to Canada!

Why not go see the MN Twins in NYC.

I can get tickets for the July 15th series. Then take a trip up to Montauk and go fishing on the Long Island Sound or the Atlantic.

Planes, Trains, Subways, etc….

Dog

I would say ask the kid what he wants to do. Depending on the direction he wanted to go I might suggest Amtrak to the Canadian Rockies. Car trip to Niagara Falls. (take him on a ferry crossing over Lake Michigan.) Houston for NASA, Grand Canyon for a western trip.

If he likes flying do a helicopter trip at any of those locations. If he likes sports take in a pro baseball game if possible or he will enjoy a minor league park also. Many more people his age there.

Trips might get spendy but they are a once in a lifetime thing.

Some great ideas already. I will add flying out West to fish giant sturgeon. You could fly to Green Bay and fish in the bay or head over to Lake Michigan. I like the Ferry idea across Lake Michigan for an experience. Fly to Lousiana and fish Redfish. Fly to Texas and fish bass. Take the train to Devils Lake. Fly to Lake Erie and fish for Walleyes. Sounds like a great idea no matter what you end up doing.

Chicago:

Jump on Amtrak – Winona to Chicago; great train ride experience, great museums (Science & Industry, Natural History, Shedd Aquarium), tall buildings, take in a Sox or Cubs game, everything is close and getting around the city is easy on public transportation or taxi.

Spend a day at WI Dells on the way home….

A smallmouth guided trip on Green Bay followed by a game….the best and best. (will you adopt me?)